One Big Chocolate Chip Cookie

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Yield: 2 servings, one 7-inch cookie

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp salted butter
• 3 Tbsp packed light-brown sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 tbsp whisked egg*
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips, divided

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place butter in a microwave safe mixing bowl. Heat in microwave until nearly melted (you want it almost all the way melted, remove from microwave just before completely melted and stir to fully melt. You just don't want it too hot or it will cook the egg and melt the chocolate chips when stirring).
• To melted butter, add brown sugar, salt, 1 tbsp egg, the vanilla, flour and baking soda. Stir with a spoon until well combined, about 20 - 30 seconds. Mix in 3 tablespoons of the chocolate chips. Shape dough into a 3 1/2-inch disk on a Silpat or parchment paper lined baking sheet, gently press remaining 1 Tbsp chocolate chips randomly over top and sides of cookie. Bake in preheated oven 12 - 14 minutes, until cookie is golden. Serve warm or allow to cool on a wire rack then store in an airtight container.
• *To get 1 Tbsp egg, crack egg into a small bowl, whisk until yolk and white are well blended, then measure out 1 Tbsp. Reserve remainder for another use (aka tomorrows breakfast).  

Avocado Veggie Panini

Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients:

    1½ tablespoons butter or olive oil

    1 minced shallot (onion or garlic works too)

    8 ounces sliced baby portobello mushrooms

    1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes

    2 cups chopped kale, stems removed

    salt to taste

    2 avocados

    8 pieces thick, sturdy wheat bread

    melty white cheese like Provolone or Mozzarella, if you want

Instructions:

    1. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the shallots; saute until translucent. Add the mushrooms and saute until browned lightly on the outside. Add the tomatoes and kale; saute until wilted and warmed through. Remove from heat and season with salt.

    2. Mash the avocado in a bowl with a fork. Spread some avocado on the surface of each piece of bread. Assemble the sandwiches by carefully arranging the vegetables on the bread. Get as many veggies on as you can because the sandwiches sink down when you use the panini press.

    3. Add the cheese on top of the veggies if you want, cover with another slice of bread, and place on a preheated panini press. When the bread is browned on the outside, remove from heat. If you did not cut the tomatoes, be careful as they might burst when you bite into them and they will be hot! :)

Notes:

The tomatoes were a little tricky to keep in the sandwiches because I left them whole, but I liked how they'd burst in your mouth. For easier assembly, just slice or chop the tomatoes beforehand.

Raspberry Almond Scones

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons cold, unsalted Land O Lakes® Butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

1 cup heavy cream, plus 1 tablespoon, divided

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

1/3 cup sliced almonds

1 cup raspberries

For the Almond Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

4-5 tablespoons heavy cream or milk

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1/4 cup sliced almonds, for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Quickly cut in the butter, using your hands, two knives, or a pastry blender. Mix until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a feel larger butter lumps. Pour 1 cup of heavy cream and almond extract over the ingredients and stir with a spatula until dough begins to form. Don't over mix. Gently fold in sliced almonds and raspberries. The raspberries will get a little smashed, but that is ok. The scones will still be pretty:)

3. Transfer dough to a floured countertop and knead dough by hand just until it forms a ball. Form scones by patting the dough into a 3/4-inch thick circle. Cut the scones into even triangles. We got 8 scones.

4. Place scones on prepared baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, brush scones lightly with the additional heavy cream. Bake scones for 15-18 minutes, or until scones are light brown. Cool scones on a wire cooling rack.

5. While the scones are cooling, make the almond glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, heavy cream or milk, and almond extract. Whisk until you reach desired consistency. Drizzle glaze over the scones. Top with additional sliced almonds. Serve!

Scones will keep in an air-tight container for up to 2-3 days, but they really are best eaten the day they are made.

Vegetarian Moussaka

Ingredients:

    1 large aubergine, thinly sliced

    1 tbsp olive oil

    1 onion, sliced

    2 garlic cloves, crushed

    400g cooked chickpeas

    300g cooked black soy beans

    2 tbsp salted herbs

    ½ tsp black pepper

    1 tbsp dried oregano

    2 tbsp dried parsley

    1 tbsp cumin

    ¼ tsp fennel seeds

    1 large can diced tomatoes

    1 cup water

    4 cups fresh baby spinach leaves

    1 ¼ cup fat free Greek yogurt

    1 cup cottage cheese

    ½ cup buttermilk

    3 eggs

    ¼ tsp salt

    ¼ tsp pepper

    100g Sharp Cheddar Cheese

    Fresh flat leaf parsley to garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat the over to 350F.

2. Sprinkle the aubergine slices with salt and place in a colander. Cover and place a weight on top. Leave for at least 30 minutes to allow the bitter juices to be extracted.

3. Add the cooked chickpeas and black soy beans to your food processor and process on pulse until reduced to a coarse grain consistency. Set aside.

4. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, stirring. Stir in the chickpeas and black soy beans, tomatoes, seasonings and water. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes, stirring from time to time. Stir in spinach leaves and cook until just wilted. Remove from heat.

5. Arrange a layer of aubergine slices in the bottom of a large, shallow, ovenproof dish or roasting tin, then spoon over a layer of the lentil mixture. Continue to build up the layers in this way until all the aubergine slices end lentil mixture are used up.

6. In a food processor, process the yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, buttermilk salt and pepper together and pour the mixture over the dish. Sprinkle generously with the grated cheddar cheese and bake for about 45 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and bubbling. Serve immediately, garnished with the flat leaf parsley. 

Steak Tips with Caramelized Onions

Ingredients:

    For the Marinade
1 cup ketchup
½ cup Coca-Cola or water (see note)
½ cup sugar
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
½ cup Worcestershire sauce
½ cup A-1 Sauce
1½ tablespoons freshly ground black pepper

  Other Ingredients
2 pounds sirloin or rib eye trimmed and cut into large cuts as big as 2 to 3 inches square
1 large onion, cut into thick strips vertically
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sugar

Directions:

1. In a medium sauce pan, place all marinade ingredients and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and gently simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely.
2. Trim any gristle or large pieces of fat from beef. Cut into large pieces; about 2-3 inches square. Place cut beef in a zip lock bag. Pour cooled marinade over beef, seal and marinate 8-24 hours.
3. In a medium sauté pan over low heat melt butter in olive oil and place onions, salt, pepper and sugar and cook stirring occasionally for 30-40 minutes until onions are caramelized but not cooked down too much. Start cooking tips as the onions get close to finishing.
4. When you are ready to grill, drain all marinade and heat a ribbed grill pan over extremely high heat or heat your outdoor BBQ grill to the highest setting.
5. Lightly oil or spray pan or grill and place beef onto grill or pan not touching each other and cook untouched for 2-3 minutes (Depending on how thick they are and how hot your grill or stove gets, the timing will need to be monitored). If you are not certain, cut into one and check for doneness. Turn once and cook for another 1-2 minutes for medium rare. Remove to a platter and serve with the caramelized onions.

Spinach Artichoke Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients:

    1 spaghetti squash, seeded
3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup chopped onion
salt and pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup light sour cream
3 ounces less fat cream cheese
3/4 cup grated parmesan, divided
3 cups packed baby spinach
1 1/4 cups canned artichoke hearts, chopped
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

1. Place the spaghetti squash in a microwave safe dish, cut side up. Pour about half an inch of water in the dish, then cover with plastic wrap and microwave until soft, about 10 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly, then with a fork, scrape up the strings from the squash.
2. Meanwhile, in a pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, 5-8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 60 seconds. Add in the sour cream, cream cheese and half of the parmesan cheese and stir until the cream cheese has melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir in the spinach and artichoke hearts and cook until the spinach has wilted. Pour half of the mixture into each spaghetti squash half and gently pull up on the spaghetti squash strings to combine with the sauce as much as possible. Top with the shredded mozzarella and the remaining parmesan. Place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
3. Sprinkle with fresh parsley, if desired, and serve hot.

Salmon with Dill Sauce

Ingredients:

1 half of Wild Salmon fillet or 6 fillets (skin ok)
4-5 cloves garlic crushed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
salt
fresh ground pepper
1 lemon
6 tablespoons olive oil
parchment paper or foil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
Place the fish on the baking sheet.
sprinkle salt and pepper.
Squeeze half of lemon on the fish.
drizzle a little bit of olive oil on the wish, and rub all over the fish.

Bake for 13-15 minutes uncovered

While the fish in the oven prepare the sauce.
In a small bowl combine garlic,dill,squeezed lemon juice from the other half,and olive oil.
Add little bit of salt,pepper and mix well.

When the fish is done,transfer on the platter or individual serving plate. Using a spoon pour the sauce over the fish.Serve with rice.

Classic New York-Style Cheesecake

Yield: Makes 16 Servings

Ingredients:

4 8 ounce packages cream cheese
3 eggs
2 1/4 cups finely crushed graham crackers
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
2/3 cup butter, melted
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons vanilla
2 8 ounce cartons sour cream
1/4 cup sugar

Directions:

1. Allow cream cheese and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, for crust, in a large bowl combine crushed graham crackers, the 1 tablespoon sugar, and, if desired, the cinnamon. Stir in melted butter. Press the crumb mixture onto the bottom and about 2 inches up the sides of a 10-inch springform pan; set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese and the 1-1/4 cups sugar with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until fluffy. Beat in flour on low speed until smooth. Using a fork, lightly beat the eggs. Add the eggs and 3 teaspoons of the vanilla all at once, beating on low speed just until combined. Stir in 1/2 cup of the sour cream. Pour batter into the crust-lined pan. Place in a shallow baking pan in oven.
3. Bake for 40 minutes or until a 2 1/2-inch area around the outside edge appears set when gently shaken. Remove from oven. In a medium bowl stir together the remaining sour cream, the 1/4 cup sugar, and the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla. Using a spoon, spread mixture evenly over top of baked cheesecake. Return to oven and bake for 15 minutes more.
4. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Using a small sharp knife, loosen crust from sides of pan. Cool for 30 minutes more. Remove sides of pan; cool completely on rack. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight before serving. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before slicing.

Steak & Mushroom Pot Pies

Yield: Makes 4-6 Pies

Ingredients:

1.5kg stewing beef (I used chuck steak cut into chunks, bone removed)
1 large onion, diced
3 carrots, diced
2 celery sticks, diced
250g mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp each dried thyme, dried rosemary and dried oregano (I like the earthiness of the dried herbs)
2 bay leaves
500ml (2 cups) strong beef stock (alternatively add a heaped tbsp bovril to 500ml water)
1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 50ml milk
salt & pepper to taste
1 roll ready-made puff pastry, rolled out slightly
1 egg, beaten

Directions:

For the filling, brown the beef in a large pot. Remove and set aside.
In the same pot, fry the onion, carrots and celery sticks until soft and fragrant (about 10 minutes).
Add the mushrooms and garlic and fry for 5 minutes before adding the paprika and herbs.
Pour in the stock and add the browned beef back into the pot. Stir to combine everything and reduce the heat. Cover the pot and allow the stew to simmer gently for 1 1/2 – 2 hours.
When the meat is really tender (when you press a piece with a spoon it should break apart), turn the heat up and pour in the cornflour mixture. Allow the sauce to simmer rapidly and thicken for about 10 minutes.
Pre-heat the oven to 180°c.
Divide the beef and mushroom filling between 4-6 oven-proof dishes (depending on size).
Cut the pastry into squares big enough to cover the dishes, it doesn’t have to be perfect. Brush the rim of the dishes with some of the beaten egg then place the pastry on top and pinch the pastry onto the rim.
Cut 2 slits into each pie to allow the steam to escape and brush with the rest of the beaten egg.
Place in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is cooked through and golden brown.
Remove and serve with vegetables of your choice.

Banana Cake

Ingredients:

4 very ripe mashed bananas
1 box Duncan Hines WHITE cake mix
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup oil
3 whole eggs
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder

Filling:
1 large box of cooked banana cream pudding (not the instant)
Make according to directions on box and cool.
3 additional bananas

Directions:

Mix all ingredients except bananas for 2 minutes, medium speed
Add bananas and blend well
Bake in 2 or 3 greased & floured round cake pans, following baking recommendations on box
I think about 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool on racks
I make the cake the day before
Whip 1 carton whipping cream, (a pint, I think) sweeten very lightly with powdered sugar
Throw in a little vanilla for good measure

Filling:
Split the layers, putting pudding & sliced bananas into 2 layers, and the whipped cream in the others. Frost the whole cake with whip cream & sprinkle chopped walnuts on top.

Peanut Butter Bars

Yield: 16 bars

Ingredients:

For the crust:
1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (like Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter

For the peanut butter layer:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs

For the chocolate layer on top:
1/4 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup 60% bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line an 8×8″ baking pan with parchment. In a small bowl, mix together the cookie crumbs, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1/3 cup unsalted butter until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Press the crumbs into the parchment-lined pan, packing down with the bottom of a glass. Bake for 15 minutes until set. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
2. Melt the 1/2 cup butter for the peanut butter layer. Mix in the powdered sugar until smooth. Add in the peanut butter and whip until smooth. Stir in the graham cracker crumbs. Spread the layer over the cooled crust. To avoid breaking the crust, Drop several spoonfuls throughout the bottom of the crust before smoothing the top.

3. In a double boiler melt the remaining 1/4 butter. Once melted, add in the chocolate and stir until melted. Pour the chocolate over the peanut butter layer. Refrigerate until firm. Cut into bars and serve.

Apple Crumble Pancakes

Yield: Makes 4 large pancakes

Ingredients:

For apples:
2 large granny smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced into 1/4″ thick slices
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon sugar

For streusel:
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

For pancakes:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoons sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup buttermilk
oil for griddle

Directions:

Make apples.
Heat butter in a small skillet and add apples and sugar. Sauté apples until golden and tender. Set aside.

Make streusel topping.
Mix all dry ingredients in a small bowl. Add butter and using a pastry cutter, cut butter into dry mixture until it’s pretty well combined. Add walnuts.

Make pancakes.
Mix dry ingredients into a medium bowl. In a separate small bowl, beat egg. Add melted butter and buttermilk and whisk until combined. Add to dry ingredients and mix until combined.
Heat oil in large skillet or griddle over medium heat until the oil sizzles when you put a drop of batter in it. Pour a little more than 1/2 cup of batter into pan and let it spread out into a large round. When small bubble start to form in batter, add 8-10 slices of apple in a round pattern. Sprinkle streusel over the top to coat and using a large spatula, flip when pancake is is golden brown on the bottom. Cook until golden on both sides and serve apple side up with a dollop of butter and syrup.

Grilled Chicken Margherita Pizza

Yield: Serves 2

Ingredients:

Grilled Chicken:
1 large boneless chicken breast
salt & pepper

Roasted Cherry Tomatoes:
1 pint of cherry tomatoes
1 teaspoon of olive oil
salt & pepper

Remaining Ingredients:
2 whole wheat naan flatbreads
2 tablespoons of olive oil, {1 per naan}
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup of mozzarella cheese
½ cup of fresh basil, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Place 1 pint of cherry tomatoes on a baking sheet, season with 1 teaspoon of olive, salt, and pepper.
3. Roast for 20 minutes.
4. In the meantime, season 1 large boneless chicken breast with salt & pepper.
5. Place on a medium high grill and grill each side for 5-7 minutes {or until no more pick}
6. Remove from grill and let rest, slice into thin pieces once chicken has cooled enough to touch.
7. Preheat oven to 350.
8. Place 2 whole wheat naan flatbreads on a baking sheet.
9. Evenly spread the following between the two naan flatbreads, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 cup of mozzarella cheese, sliced chicken bread, and roasted cherry tomatoes.
10. Bake pizzas for 8-10 minutes, until cheese is melted.
11. Remove from oven and sprinkle ½ cup of fresh chopped basil between the two pizzas.
12. Serve!

Baked Zucchini “Fries”

Yield: 3 Servings

Ingredients:

3 medium zucchini sliced into 3″ x 1/2″ sticks
1 large egg white
1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 tbsp grated Pecorino Romano cheese (can be found in the spaghetti sauce aisle next to Parmesan cheese)
cooking spray
1/4 tsp garlic powder
salt
fresh pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. In a small bowl, beat egg whites and season with salt and pepper. In a ziplock bag, place breadcrumbs, garlic powder and cheese and shake well. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray and set aside.
3. Dip zucchini sticks into eggs then into bread crumb and cheese mixture, a few at a time and shake to coat. Place the breaded zucchini in a single layer and spray more cooking spray on top. Bake at 425° for about 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with 1/2 cup marinara sauce for dipping (.5 pt)

Notes

Recipe Notes: 1) Make them a little skinnier than shown here. 2) I had to double my breading because I had 4 zucchini and the breading got too soggy. 3) Best when served warm.

Brown Butter Fried Nutella Banana Croissant Sandwiches

Yield: 6 Servings

Ingredients:

    6 mini croissants
12 tablespoons nutella
2 large bananas, sliced into thick rounds
3 tablespoons butter
pinch of kosher salt

Directions:

1. Spread the 2 tablespoons nutella over the bottom half of each croissant.
2. Top the nutella with the bananas, and then the top of the croissant.
3. In a skillet or heavy pan, melt the butter and a pinch of salt and gently cook over medium heat until browned.
4. Add the croissants to the pan and cook until crispy on both sides and the nutella is melted. I gently pushed down on the sandwiches squishing them together. If you need to cook in batches, then repeat.
5. Enjoy hot or warm!

Lemon Meringue Cheesecake

Yield: Serves 12

Ingredients:

    Crust
2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup sugar
6 Tbsp butter, melted

  Cheesecake
4 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
6 egg yolks (reserve whites for meringue)
2 Tbsp flour
1 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp lemon zest (2 large lemons)

   Meringue Topping
6 egg whites
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300°

Crust
2. Combine all ingredients for crust in a bowl evenly. Press mixture into a 9″ springform pan and up the sides, about one inch.
3. Bake for 10 minutes and allow to cool.

Filling
4. In bowl fitted with paddle attachment beat cream cheese and sugar together until combined and smooth. Add in egg yolks and beat until mixture is just combined, scraping sides as necessary.
5. Add in flour, sour cream and lemon zest and mix until smooth.
6. Pour mixture over prepared crust. Bake for 75 minutes. Then turn off oven and leave cheesecake in the warm oven with the door closed for 4 hours.
7. Finally, remove it from oven, run a knife along the edges to loosen from pan and chill for 6 hours, or overnight.

Meringue Topping
8. Whisk 6 reserved egg whites with sugar. Place over a double boiler and stirring constantly heat mixture until it reaches 140° on candy thermometer. Pour mixture immediately into bowl of stand mixer, fitted with whisk attachment and beat for 10 minutes, until glossy and stiff peaks form.
9. Spread the meringue over chilled cheesecake and with kitchen torch lightly brown the tops of the meringue.


Notes
if you would like to amp up the flavor of lemon in this recipe, you can add another tablespoon of lemon zest.

Store covered in refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Baked Potato Soup

Yield: Makes 2 Servings

Ingredients:

    2 medium potatoes, baked and cooled
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) chicken broth
2 tablespoons sour cream
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon crumbled cooked bacon or bacon bits
1 green onion, sliced

Directions:

Peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-in. cubes; place half in a blender. Add broth; cover and process until smooth. Pour into a saucepan. Stir in sour cream, pepper and remaining potatoes. Cook over low heat until heated through (do not boil). Garnish with cheese, bacon and onion. Yield: 2 servings.

Nutritional Facts

1 serving (1 cup) equals 277 calories, 8 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 28 mg cholesterol, 1,061 mg sodium, 41 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 11 g protein.

Tuscan Chickpea Soup

Ingredients:

6 cups drained and rinsed canned chickpeas (three 19-ounce cans)
3 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock, more if needed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 carrot, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
Pinch dried red-pepper flakes
1 cup canned tomatoes in thick puree, chopped
1/2 cup tubetti or other small macaroni
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound Swiss chard, tough stems removed, leaves cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Puree half of the chickpeas with 1 1/2 cups of the broth in a blender or food processor. In a large pot, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the carrot, onion, celery, garlic, and rosemary and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften, about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the remaining 1 1/2 cups broth, the pureed chickpeas, whole chickpeas, bay leaf, red-pepper flakes, tomatoes, tubetti, and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 10 minutes.
3. Add the Swiss chard to the pot. Simmer until the chard is tender and the pasta is done, 5 to 10 minutes longer. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the black pepper. If the soup thickens too much on standing, stir in more broth or water.

Italian Sausage Soup with Cheese Tortellini

Ingredients:

1 pound Italian sausage (I usually use Jimmy Dean so I don’t have to deal with removing the casing)
1 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
5 cups beef broth
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup red cooking wine
2 (14.5 ounce) cans Italian diced tomatoes
1 cup thinly sliced or diced carrots
1/2 tablespoon packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups green beans or sliced zucchini
8 ounces fresh tortellini pasta (can be found by the cheese…I used Buitoni)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

1. In a large pot, brown sausage. Remove sausage and drain.
2. Saute onions and garlic in drippings. Stir in beef broth, water, wine, tomatoes, carrots, basil, oregano, tomato sauce, and sausage. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
3. Skim fat from the soup. Stir in beans and parsley. Simmer covered for 30 minutes. Add tortellini during the last 10 minutes. 4. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese on top of each serving. Serve with warm garlic bread.
4. *Just be aware that if you save this soup for leftovers the pasta tends to drink up the broth so the result is a really thick soup if you eat it the next day.

Smokey Baked Beans

Yield: Serves 8

Ingredients:

    26 ounces of canned pork n’ beans
1 can applewood smoked bacon beans
1 can of black beans
½ white onion, diced
½ red onion, diced
2½ tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
¼ cup maple syrup
1½ teaspoons liquid smoke
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic
3 tablespoons ketchup
3-4 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled or chopped
optional: green onions

Directions:

1. Add all beans and the onions to a large pot. In a bowl whisk together mustard, maple syrup, liquid smoke, salt, garlic, and ketchup. Add to pot and stir to combine.
2. Cook covered over medium-high heat, stirring periodically, for 30 minutes. Stir in bacon. Serve with green onions if desired.

Notes
*** This recipe can easily be customized to feed your group. Half the recipe for 4 people, or double it for about 16-18!

Honey Mustard Chicken with Curry

Yield: Makes 16-20 Drumsticks

Ingredients:

16-20 chicken legs
1 cup honey
1/2 cup stone ground mustard (contains whole mustard seeds)
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp yellow curry powder (red can be quite hot; yellow is milder)
2 tsp fine salt
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
extra salt for sprinkling

Directions:

Mix together all ingredients except for chicken.  Set marinade aside.  Thoroughly dry chicken pieces with paper towels.  Place chicken pieces evenly flat on baking sheet or large cutting board.  Using a fork, pierce each chicken piece several times all over.  Give every piece of chicken its own pinch of salt, evenly sprinkled on top.
In large bowl or sturdy zipper bags, combine chicken pieces with marinade.  Make sure every piece of chicken is in direct contact with marinade.  Marinade in fridge overnight if possible, or at least for several hours.  If needed, turn chicken once during marinade time.

Remove chicken from marinade and set the sauce aside.  Place chicken flat in a foil-lined baking pan.  Pour about half or so of the marinade over the chicken, so chicken is draped with sauce.  Bake at 350F for 65-75 minutes, basting generously every 15 minutes with the remaining marinade.  Don’t skip the basting, as this is what makes the chicken so tasty and good!  (If you’re concerned about the raw marinade, you can boil it for a minute before using to baste.)

Mexican Biscuit Casserole

Yield: 8-10 Servings

Ingredients:

1 1/2  pounds lean ground beef
1  1 1/4 ounce package taco-seasoning mix
3/4  cup water
1  16  ounce can kidney beans
1  11  ounce can whole-kernel corn with sweetpeppers, drained
3 1/4  cups packaged biscuit mix
1   cup milk
3   cups shredded cheddar cheese (12 ounces)

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, cook ground beef until brown. Drain off fat.
2. Add taco-seasoning mix according to package directions, except use the 3/4 cup water. Add the undrained kidney beans and the drained corn; bring to boiling.
3. Meanwhile, combine the biscuit mix and milk. Stir until all is moistened. Beat for 30 seconds more.
4. Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut with a 2-inch round biscuit cutter, making 10 biscuits.
5. Spoon hot meat mixture into a 13x9x2-inch (3-quart rectangular) baking dish and top with some of the cheese.
6. Immediately place biscuits on top and bake in a 350 degree F oven for 20 minutes or until biscuits are done. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Let stand for 5 minutes. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Nutrition information
Per Serving: cal. (kcal) 486, Fat, total (g) 25, chol. (mg) 81, sat. fat (g) 11, carb. (g) 40, Monosaturated fat (g) 6, Polyunsaturated fat (g) 1, fiber (g) 3, sugar (g) 3, pro. (g) 29, vit. A (IU) 437.31, vit. C (mg) 2.95, Thiamin (mg) 0.22, Riboflavin (mg) 0.52, Niacin (mg) 3.95, Pyridoxine (Vit. B6) (mg) 0.18, Folate (µg) 60.48, Cobalamin (Vit. B12) (µg) 1.16, sodium (mg) 1365, Potassium (mg) 238, calcium (mg) 333.19, iron (mg) 3.24, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Lemon Cheesecake with Fresh Berries

Ingredients:

For the Crust
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 stick unsalted butter; melted
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Cheesecake
4 sticks of cream cheese, 8 oz each; room temperature
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs; room temperature
3/4 cup heavy cream
zest of two lemons
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

For the Topping
2 cups of fresh berries
1/4 cup apricot preserves plus 1 tables spoon hot water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Tightly wrap a 9 inch springform pan in heavy duty foil. This step prevents leaks when using a water bath. I also take the extra step by placing the foil wrapped spring form pan inside an oven bag while baking.
2. Mix together the crust ingredients and press into the bottom of your pan and about 1 inch up the sides. Bake for 7 minutes and cool completely on a wire rack.
3. Begin to boil a large pot of water for the water bath.
4. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with your paddle attachment, combine the sugar and lemon zest and mix until the sugar is moistened and fragrant. Add in the cream cheese and cream together until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. Make sure to scrape down the bowl in between each egg. Add heavy cream and vanilla and mix until smooth.
5. Pour batter into prepared crust. Place pan into a larger pan and pour boiling water into the larger pan until halfway up the side of the cheesecake pan.
6. Bake 45 to 55 minutes, the edges will appear to be set, but the center will still have some jiggle to it. At this point, close the oven door, turn the heat off, and let rest in the cooling oven for one hour. After one hour has passed, carefully remove the cheesecake from the water bath and place on a cooling rack to cool completely. Once the cake is completely cooled, place it into the refrigerator for at least 5 hours. Top will fresh berries and serve.

Notes:

- For glossy berries, simply add 1 tablespoon of hot water to 1/4 cup apricot preserves. Blend until combined and thinned out. Place the berries in a bowl and gently brush and toss the berries with the apricot and water mixture.
- If you are not a fan of lemon, simply omit the zest.

Zucchini Crust Pizza

Yield: 6 Servings

Ingredients:

    3 cups shredded zucchini
3/4 cup egg substitute
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
2 small tomatoes, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup julienned green pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
3 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine zucchini and egg substitute. Stir in flour and salt. Spread onto the bottom of a 12-in. pizza pan coated with cooking spray.
2. Bake at 450° for 8 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°. Sprinkle with the mozzarella, tomatoes, onion, green pepper, oregano, basil and Parmesan cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until onion is tender and cheese is melted. Yield: 6 slices.
Nutritional Facts

One slice equals 190 calories, 8 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 24 mg cholesterol, 431 mg sodium, 13 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 17 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 lean meat, 2 vegetable, 1/2 fat.

Pizza Muffins

Yield: 14-15 Muffins

Ingredients:

    1 cup buttermilk
½ cup oil (canola, vegetable, etc.)
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried parsley
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
16 pepperonis, cut into quarters

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and spray a muffin tin with cooking spray or line with liners. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add in your buttermilk, oil, and eggs one at a time. Mix everything together.
3. Slowly add in the flour, and all of your spices.
4. Fold in your baking powder, shredded cheese, and pepperonis.
5. Fill your muffin tin ¾ of the way and bake for 5 minutes.
6. Turn down the oven temperature to 375 degrees and bake for another 10-11 minutes. Allow the muffins to completely cooling before removing from the muffin tin.

Garlic Parmesan Chicken Lasagna Bake

Yield: Serves 9-12

Ingredients:

For the lasagna:
10-15 no-boil lasagna noodles
3 cups cooked, shredded chicken (use rotisserie chicken for lots of yummy flavor)
12 ounces frozen peas
½ cup Parmesan cheese
½ cup Swiss cheese
1 cup water
¼ cup seasoned breadcrumbs
fresh herbs for topping

For the sauce:
6 tablespoons butter
1½ tablespoons minced garlic
6 tablespoons flour
½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
¾ teaspoon salt
5 cups milk

Directions:

    1. Make the sauce: Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant – stir continuously to avoid burning because burnt garlic will taste bitter. Add the flour, poultry seasoning, and salt. Whisk and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the milk, one cup at a time, whisking after each addition and allowing it to thicken slightly each time before adding the next cup. When the sauce is smooth and thick, remove from heat and set aside.
2. Layer the lasagna: Grease a 9×13 pan and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cover the bottom of the pan with (about 5) broken lasagna noodles, half of the chicken, half of the peas, ¼ cup Parmesan, ⅓ cup water, and 1½ cups sauce. Repeat this layer once more. Top with a layer of broken noodles, ⅓ cup water, 1½ cups sauce, and ½ cup Swiss cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes.
3. Making it pretty: Remove the foil, sprinkle evenly with breadcrumbs, and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes until the top is golden brown and bubbly. Sprinkle with fresh herbs like parsley and thyme. Let stand 10 minutes or more before cutting and serving.

Blueberry Maple Cupcakes

Yield: Serves 12

Ingredients:

          ½ cup butter, softened
¾ cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 egg white
1¾ cups flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup milk
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 cup fresh blueberries

Maple Buttercream
½ cup butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, room temp
2 teaspoons maple flavoring
4 cups powdered sugar
extra blueberries to decorate

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pans with liners (12).
2. Using mixer fitted with a paddle attachment beat butter and sugar until fluffy.
3. On low-speed add eggs and egg white and beat until fully mixed in.
4. In a medium bowl sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together. (Instead of sifting, you can run a whisk through the ingredients. Essentially accomplishes the same thing- aeration and removal of clumps- without making a mess.)
5. Mix sour cream, milk, and vanilla together.
6. Add ⅓ of dry ingredients to mixer, then ½ of wet. Followed by another ⅓ of dry. Finish with remaining wet and dry ingredients. Careful not to overmix.
7. Fold in blueberries and fill muffin liners ¾ full. Bake 18-20 minutes or until very tops are fully cooked.
8. To make frosting, beat butter and cream cheese until fluffy. Add maple flavoring and sugar and beat until smooth.
9. Cool cupcakes before frosting. Use a pastry bag fitted with a large star and swirl around the outer part of cupcake and gradually come inwards with each swirl. Or just slather it on there.
10. Decorate with blueberries.